Welcome to 2019 from the Somerset Mathematical Society (SMS)

The SMS meets on Tuesday lunchtimes in Ray 1.4 and again has a busy year ahead. The first big event in 2019 will be Pi night and will be held, of course, on Pi day March 14 (3/14).

This is a celebration of Pi together with all things mathematical and is open to all ages up to infinity (but not beyond). There will be talks, tricks, pilates, pi reciting and much, much more. In August a similar festival will acknowledge that other important irrational number, Phi (also known as the Golden Ratio).

‘Lunch and Learn’ talks will continue on Tuesdays where pupils can present on any mathematical topic to an eager audience of staff and students who are hungry for knowledge and eager to drink from a fountain of knowledge.

Another project for 2019 is the restoration of the Menger Sponge to its former glory. This was a structure built from 2400 business cards by SMS members five years ago. The Menger Sponge is a theoretical structure with an infinite surface area but with zero volume!

And as we welcome 2019, here are a few facts about the number 2019 that you might find interesting;

• 2019 is a lucky, lucky year as 2019 is known as a ‘lucky’ number (google it) and its proper factors, 3 and 673 are also lucky. This last happened in 1963 and will next occur in 2217 so for many of you this will be your only lucky, lucky year.
• 2019 is a Pythagorean triple year as 20192 = 11552 + 16562.
• And if that doesn’t impress you, what about 2019 = 1 + 2 x 34 + 5 x 6 x (7 x 8 + 9).
• On 3 January 2019 it was ‘thirds day’ as in US notation that would be 1/3 and occurred on a Thursday. The next ‘thirds day’ will be in 2030. The Somerset Mathematical Society (SMS) welcomes old and new members for 2019.